I woke up next to my wife while I was lying on my stomach with one of my hand wrapped around her waist.

It feels good to call her my wife. Sounds good.

I smiled looking at her sleeping peacefully and brushed a few strands of hair from her face.

I traced her face with my finger slowly, starting from her forehead, brushing my finger on her eyes, down to her cheeks and then I slowly traced her bottom lip.

Then I slowly caressed her cheeks when her eyes fluttered open.

"Goodmorning", she said in hoarse voice.

"Morning", I replied kissing the tip of her nose.

She was so sleepy that within a minute she fell asleep again. Thankfully it was Saturday, so, she can asleep as long as she wants.

And I quietly left the room trying not to wake her up.

Entering my study, I opened one of the drawers to retrieve a file when my eyes fell on the the photo frame, Larisa bought here last night.

I picked it up and traced my finger over Serah's picture.

"I am sorry", I whispered to her, a tear falling down my eyes.

I don't think so I can fall in love again...after what happened. I loved Serah and I lost her...I don't want to fall in love again because I don't want to risk anyone else's life.

So, what was I thinking last night when I kissed her again. Why did I kiss her? Why did I hug her back? Why did I ask her to stay? Why does my heart beats so rapidly whenever I think about her?

This is not right...I am not supposed to fall for her. I can't.

Then why the hell I gave her false hopes last night?! I kissed her as if she is the most precious thing in the world. I found comfort in her arms. I don't want her to leave me. I need her but I can't love her.

Why is all this so freaking difficult?!

I married her just to make sure I don't lose her again, but falling for her was not in the plan.

No, no, no; I can't fall for her.

It feels so good when she cares about me but at the same time it is scary too.

When she said that she cares about me, my heart skipped a beat, my heart melted but then...what did I reply to her? I never asked you to care for me. Stupid.

I was afraid that if she will start caring for me, talk to me nicely then I will fall for her. Hell! I am still scared!

I went downstairs into my gym and removing my t-shirt, I started hitting the punching bag.

Why *punch* Am *punch* I *punch* Giving *punch* Her *punch* False *punch* Hopes.

I will just end up hurting her, I keep hurting her yet she always stays with me. I don't deserve her.

I need to push her away or else she will get hurt. If she falls for me...then it will hurt me also if I don't reciprocate her feelings.

But I need her.

After all these years...I finally felt comfort in her arms. I had the most peaceful sleep. I didn't feel the urge to smoke to calm myself after I told her everything because she gave me a warm hug.

'All we need sometimes is a warm hug', I smiled remembering her words.

I love how her body reacts to my touch, how her face paled when I told her that she is mine and I loved the way she was smiling at me in the car while coming back from the hospital; I loved how she looked at me with admiration.

I love how she tries to make me jealous and succeeds in it; I love her feistiness. I loved how passionately she kissed me back. I loved how she stayed with me that night when I was drunk. I loved how she asks me whether I had dinner or not. I loved how she told me to stop smoking as it is injurious to my health. I loved how she told me that I look cute when I am angry.

I loved how she helped Emmeline and bought her home. I loved how she was ready to sacrifice herself for her company.

I love...

No, no. Stupid heart! Stop beating so wildly. You are not falling in love with her! Why don't you understand?

You can't fall in love with her! You are not worth her! You will just risk her life!

Giving one final blow to the punching bag, I rested my forehead against it calming myself.

"Isaac?", I heard her voice.

Great!

"You okay?", she asked standing beside me.

No.

"Yes."

"Look at me", she ordered and I turned my head towards her.

From when did I start to take orders from her?!

"Did you have your breakfast?"

Here we go again.

"No."

"Then come on, you can do gyming later. First eat something", she said grabbing my hand and started dragging me towards the exit and handed me my t-shirt which I wore quickly.

Say you don't care for me. Leave me, go away. I will hurt you.

But she didn't read my mind and kept dragging me to the kitchen and made me sit down on the dining table.

Her eyes went down to my knuckles which were bruised because I was punching the bag without wearing a glove.

"See, what happened to your knuckles. You should be careful", she said walking out of the kitchen and then came back after a minute with a first-aid box.

Keeping the box on the table, she took out a cotton and dipped it in an antiseptic.

Taking my hand, she gently pressed the cotton on my knuckles making me wince a little and she immediately apologized.

She carefully tended to my wound while I watched her carefully not being able to remove my eyes from her.

Don't do this, please.

A strand of hair fell on her face, completely irritating her but before she could remove it, I brushed it back myself and she looked up at me and gave me a small smile making my heart skip a beat and resumed with what she was doing.

After she was done, she pressed her lips on the back of my palm and kissed it.

She is driving me crazy.

She then went over to the kitchen counter and bought back to plates and kept one infront of me and the other in front of her.

"I gave Cynthia a day off, I hope you don't mind. So, I made strawberry & chocolate crepes today", she told me.

"It's okay."

The crepes looked good and I cut a piece of it, placing it in my mouth, the corners of my lips lifted in satisfaction, they were damn good.

She watched me eat carefully and then asked, "Do you like it?"

"They are good", I complimented making her smile widely.

Her smile will kill me one day.

"I love to cook because good food brings people together, not my words though", she told me while stuffing her mouth with the crepe and I watched her amusingly as she ate not caring about how she looks.

After we finished eating, she took my plate along with her and kept it in the sink to wash later.

I don't know why but I followed her and stood right behind her as she placed the plates in the sink and as she turned around, I noticed some chocolate syrup on the top of her lips.

Her lips looked so tempting that I suddenly started leaning forward.

What are you doing, Isaac?! You said you won't kiss her!

Just once more. I thought.

No, you shouldn't, this is--

Before I knew it, I had already attached my lips to her and my heart skipped a beat. She was surprised, I could tell because she didn't respond immediately but then she kissed me back with equal fervour.

Tangling my fingers in her hair I angled my head and deepened the kiss, our tongue dancing together; she tasted like strawberry and chocolate. The kiss started slow but then there was this desire that made me kiss her with urgency. I sucked her lips, bit them but before I could lose control, I stopped.

I slowly withdrew and opened my eyes to see that her eyes were still closed as she gasped for breath.

She opened her eyes after a few seconds and we stared at each other, still breathing heavily.

"Umm...", I tried to say something, "you had some chocolate syrup on the top of your lips."

Her eyes shone with amusement as she stifled a laugh, "I was going to...clean it."

What a nice way to get yourself embarrassed! I mentally face slammed myself.

"Oh...o-kay...I will be in the study", saying that I quickly turned around and left before she could see the blush forming on my face.

I don't even remember when was the last time I blushed.

What are you doing to me?!

Someone knocked on the door of my study and as expected, Larisa walked in.

"Can you come with me for a minute, Isaac?", she requested.

"I am busy."

"Busy, busy, busy", she said walking towards the desk, "learn to make time for people, Isaac. Your business might someday cost you some of the most precious moments of life."

I stared at her, where does she bring these dialogues from?

"So, Mrs Graysons, what important moment I am missing right now?", I asked leaning back in the chair.

"I'll show you but you need to come with me...please", she pouted; how can I say no to that pout?

"Fine", I huffed and got up and she smiled or was that a smirk that I noticed.

What is she upto?

She took me to her room and before opening the door she stepped aside and gestured me to go inside.

Giving her a suspicious look, I opened the door and stepped in, only to find Nyle sitting there on her bed casually while scrolling through his phone.

He looked up and his eyes widened too and before we could comprehend what was happening, we heard the door click and we both were locked inside the room.

"Open this door, right now!", I shouted over to her but only heard her chuckle.

"This door won't open unless and until you guys sort out what is wrong between you two. By the way, I am going out for shopping, I'll come back after an hour and two and since there is no one else in the house...you guys are locked in there till I come back."

"Larisa come back!", I yelled but her laugh was the only thing I heard before I could hear her footsteps going down the stairs.

She will pay for this!

I turned around to Nyle who was now half lying on the bed, still scrolling through his phone as if nothing happened.

"You are with her in this, right?", I snapped.

He looked up from his phone and then keeping it aside he said, "I am not with her...she just called me here and told me to wait in her room."

He laid down on the bed as if he owned it.

"Get up from the bed, it's not yours."

"Oh, right", he said amusingly, "it's my friend's bed and she doesn't have any problem with it."

"So, she is your friend now, huh?", I folded my arms.

"Of course she is. At least she doesn't treat me the way my other friend has been treating for the past so many years", you could detect in his tone that he was hurt.

"What's your problem, Nyle?"

He sprang up and walked towards me, "What's your problem, Isaac?!"

I just narrowed my eyes at him.

"What did I do to you?", He questioned, "you have been ignoring me since so many years and even then I tried to mend our friendship but you don't even try. Why are you ignoring me?! I have known you since the moment I was born and then suddenly because...because Serah died you all of a sudden start to avoid me. What did I do?! She was my best friend too, her death broke me too but I never ignored you. Just because you loved her romantically doesn't means you were more broken than anyone of us!"

I was too dumbfounded to say anything.

He shoved my shoulder with tears in his eyes, "I needed you...when she died...I was also depressed...I needed my other best friend but when I came to you...you sent me back saying that you don't want to talk to anyone. I still waited...I gave you some time but you never even tried to ask me even once whether I was okay or not."

Tears fell from his eyes making my eyes wet too. Why am I making everyone cry these day?!

"You think you were the only one who was effected by her death? No. I was there too...I considered her as my sister and losing her was excruciating but I never pushed you away.

The day I was made the CEO, the party that was held that day, you came so late, Isaac; I was waiting for you. I wanted you to be there when dad announced me as the CEO.

And what about when you were made the CEO, I was there before time. I wanted to see my best friend, my brother taking over his father's company."

Why am I so stupid?! I wanted to bang my head in the wall!

After Serah's death...I literally cut myself from the world. All I did was study and when I became the CEO I indulged myself in work not caring about anything else.

Hearing Nyle say all these things makes me realise how I just fucked up everything.

"Nyle...I...I", I didn't know what to say.

Hey Nyle, I am sorry? No.

Sorry I ignored you? Definitely not.

"I am so sorry Nyle", by now tears were falling from my eyes, "I didn't realise my mistake--"

"That's your problem, Isaac! You never realise your mistake."

"Please forgive me. I don't know what to say to you...you tried to mend our friendship but I was too foolish to not let you in. I am sorry--"

"Let it be", he said turning around and went and sat on the edge of the bed, "your sorry won't change it. Everything is ruined already."

"No, it's not."

I sat beside him and thought for a moment while none of us spoke anything.

I finally said,"Wanna go out for drinks tonight?"

He looked at me blankly and I said, "We can hangout again like we used to before and try to mend our friendship. That's the least I can do."

I expected him to say no and argue more, he had the right to shout at me but he agreed to me quicker than I thought, "But you are paying for the drinks."

I let out a small chuckle at his words, "Of course."

And the next moment, he engulfed me in a hug and I hugged him back realising how much I missed our bromance.

"You are such an asshole, Isaac", he said pulling back from the hug.

"Believe me, Thera has told me that thousand of times."

"She's right."

"But right now", I said lying down on the bed, "I need to do something about her."

"What are you planning to do? I swear if you give her a divorce, I will kill you!"

"Whoah, whoah", I said sitting back straight, "where did this divorce thing come from?"

He rolled his eyes, "You are so stupid that you can do anything."

"But what are you planning to do about her?", he asked.

I rubbed my temples in frustration, "I don't know...she...I am scared...I am scared that if I will fall in...love with her then what happened to Serah will also happen to...her."

"I wonder how you became the CEO when you are so stupid, Mr Isaac Grayson."

"First of all, don't talk like her", I said referring to the way he took my full name.

"Oh, I have been hanging out with her a lot these days that's why", and I knew he was teasing me.

I glared at him.

"Why? Are you jealous, Isaac?"

I again gave him a deathly glare that only made him laugh, "Relax, she is like my sister."

I rolled my eyes, "Keep making every other girl your sister and you will die single."

"What do you want me to do? Ask Thera out for a date?"

"Ask her out and you will be dead", I threatened.

"Seems like you are falling really badly for her", that made me realise what I wanted to talk to him about.

"No...I am not falling for her...I don't want to because she will get hurt."

"Stop being stupid, Isaac."

"Call me stupid once more and I will punch you", I warned earning a eye roll from him.

"Look...I understand why are you scared but what happened to Serah is different and...your case with Thera is different."

"Serah's reaction to your confession was understandable...she was your friend and of course she got uncomfortable when you confessed your feelings...but Thera, she is your wife, Isaac. And you can't expect to stay in this marriage and not fall for each other", he added.

"All this is just making me mad!", I exclaimed.

"Now, stop being a coward and accept your feelings."

"But I...I don't deserve her...she is too good for me and--"

"Stop this drama, will you?", he cut me off.

"You are not a fictional character of some clichè romantic story", he scolded.

"What if something happens to her?", I asked sadly.

"Please, Isaac, please! Nothing is going to happen to her. Your love won't kill her!"

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration.

Am I in love with her already?

😍🤩😍